ODOT is helping alleviate one of Oregon’s major air pollution problems by partnering with the Lane County Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAPA) on a groundbreaking program called the Clean Fuel for Bridges Project. Contractors working on the OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program along the Interstate 5 corridor are eligible for reimbursement of up to 5 cents per gallon for using Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel or biodiesel fuels in their heavy construction machinery. The project is funded by an $80,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, which was impressed with a program designed to improve the quality of emissions at construction sites, an area often ignored in the drive for cleaner air. Read more about ODOT's efforts to improve air quality with cleaner fuels.

Stakeholders shape vision for Columbia Gorge corridor (May 05)

In May, citizens in Troutdale, Cascade Locks, Hood River, and The Dalles joined state and federal agencies to help shape the Interstate 84 Corridor Strategy, aimed at protecting the natural splendor, historic character, and transportation assets of the interstate corridor. The public, diverse stakeholder groups and resource agencies were encouraged to comment on a draft vision statement, goals and objectives as well as draft design guidelines for corridor features.

ODOT’s commitment to recycling on all OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program projects is saving time and money and protecting needed resources. Thanks to a new, innovative set of recycling standards developed in collaboration with contractors, recycling firms, and regulatory agencies, ODOT is breaking new ground in the reuse of materials in major construction projects. In fact, many parts of demolished bridges are 100 percent recyclable. Read more about the emphasis on recycling.

Second workshop for Columbia Gorge (May 05)

In January, citizens in Troutdale, Corbett, Cascade Locks, Hood River, and The Dalles joined state and federal agencies to articulate their vision for protecting the natural splendor, historic character, and transportation assets of the Interstate 84 corridor. A second series of meetings, scheduled for May, will unveil a draft vision statement, goals and objectives as well as draft design guidelines for corridor features.

The Oregon Department of Transportation received the Federal Highway Administration’s prestigious Environmental Excellence award for Environmental Streamlining in an Earth Day ceremony today. ODOT was honored for its Oregon Bridge Replacement Environmental Stewardship Program, a program that improves environmental protection and streamlines the environmental permitting process for state bridge replacement and repair projects. The streamlining is accomplished by creating a single process for securing multiple permits, an integrated mitigation program, and significant improvements in data collection and management for more than 300 bridge construction projects that were funded and approved by the 2003 Oregon State Legislature. Read more about ODOT's environmental award.

A shared vision for the Columbia River Gorge (Mar 05)

Citizens in Troutdale, Corbett, Cascade Locks, Hood River, and The Dalles joined together with State and Federal agencies to create a portrait for what this beautiful and important region will look like over the next century. More than 400 Gorge-area residents met in a series of community meetings to articulate their vision for protecting the natural splendor, historic character, and transportation assets of the Interstate 84 corridor. Learn more about this shared vision for the Columbia River Gorge.

Cooperation with Burns Paiute Tribe (Feb 05)

An innovative partnership between the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Burns Paiute Tribe is helping make the
Central Oregon Highway
(U.S. 20) safer for commuters, tourists, and commerce. Read how the collaborative effort also is helping preserve culturally significant artifacts and vegetation along the route.

OSU study prompts ODOT to review bridge program schedule (Jan 05)

An Oregon State University engineering study commissioned by ODOT shows that the cracking found in the concrete supports of more than 500 state highway bridges may not be as severe as previously feared. The study has prompted ODOT engineers to take a second look at the list of several hundred bridges scheduled to be repaired or replaced over the next decade under the OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program. The likely upshot is that ODOT will be able to fix more of the state’s aging highway bridges than originally planned.